Forward Josh Brittain, sidelined by a left arm injury suffered during the exhibition season, practiced Wednesday with the Hershey Bears at Giant Center in a non-contact jersey.

“He's getting close,” Bears head coach Mike Haviland said. “I think by the end of the weekend, by Monday, I think he's cleared for contact.

“Then he'll have a full week of practice and we can reevaluate him and see where he's at. He's working hard.”

Brittain produced 11-8-19 in 43 games with the Norfolk Admirals last season.

NOTEBOOK

John Mitchell
Hershey Bears Photo

Haviland said the team has been contemplating whether to send players to Reading (ECHL) to get playing time. For example, Patrick Wellar has played one game and John Mitchell hasn't played any games. “Certainly would still like to maybe send some guys down to play some games that haven't played in a while,” Haviland said. “That's kind of where we're at. But contracts always factor into that. I just want to see some guys play some games that haven't played in a while. It's something that we'll maybe talk about.”

Haviland used an interesting game-style battle drill at Wednesday's practice. The two nets were set up next to each other on the goal line in one zone for 3-on-2 competition. The task of players on the two-man end of things was to win puck possession and pass to their team on the other half of the zone to allow them to start a 3-on-2 possession. “We're trying to get that compete level up to where it needs to be,” Haviland said, “and understand that the onus of winning, even in those little mini games, is a big thing.”

Former Lebanon Valley College head coach Al MacCormack attended practice and visited with Haviland afterward. MacCormack served as assistant coach at Elmira College from 1977-81. Haviland played at Elmira College after MacCormack left to become head coach at SUNY-Cortland.